Govt. defends Ex-Ambassador Arunatilaka

While standing by former Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Canberra Himalee Arunatilaka, who faced a lawsuit over a salary issue of a domestic aide, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said Arunatilaka had not committed any financial fraud and that it was due to an issue with Sri Lankan salary scale.

The Minister said as a standard practice, the diplomats are facilitated by the Foreign Ministry to take domestic assistants, and they are paid by the Foreign Ministry according to the Sri Lankan salary scale.

He said in this incident, a case had been filed because the salary paid to the domestic aide according to the Sri Lankan salary scale is less than the standard salary scale in Australia.

The Minister said not only Sri Lanka some other countries like India have similar issues as their salary scale is less than European countries and Australia.

He said the government regrets the inconvenience caused to Arunatilaka and added that a policy decision must be taken regarding the matter.

The Minister said the government will take a policy decision on the salary scale of domestic aides working in foreign missions.